A game machine that is known in the art and is gaining popularity enables a player to use a game controller in the shape of a gun or the like, to shoot at targets on a screen. In this type of game machine, targets that are displayed on the screen are shot at without actually firing bullets from the gun. Therefore, how to accurately detect the aimed-at position during this shooting is an important technical concern. Various techniques are known in the art for detecting this aimed-at position accurately, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 8-117447 and 8-117448.
However, if this type of shooting game is to be implemented in a domestic game machine, for example, the problems described below occur. In other words, a domestic game machine usually has only a small number of external output terminals, so that position detection by means such as a synchronizing signal is difficult, and thus the problem occurs that the detection of the aimed-at position is not accurate. Methods have been considered for correcting the detected position by software means, but it is not possible to ensure the same level of detection accuracy as that of an arcade type of game machine with any of these methods. A further problem occurs if it becomes too complicated to drag the cable of the game controller around, obstructing the player.
This invention was devised in order to solve the above technical problems, and has as an objective thereof the provision of a game controller and an information storage medium that make it possible to obtain accurate coordinates of an indicated position by utilizing a synchronizing signal.